


Trouble with a Slayer

by CookieDoughMe



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Haven (TV), Haven - Fandom
Genre: Gen, Haven / Buffyverse crossover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-11
Updated: 2015-10-11
Packaged: 2018-04-25 22:15:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4978579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CookieDoughMe/pseuds/CookieDoughMe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Major spoilers for the end of Buffy Series 7. This is set directly afterwards, when Buffy finds herself at the centre of a Haven resident’s Trouble. The setting within Haven’s timeline is more vague; but sometime before the end of season three.<br/>This is basically all about getting Spike and Duke in the same room. I'm not sure my words really do justice to the scene I have in my head, because it would be all about the body language and it’s hard to capture every flick of the head and curl of the lip. But I do quite like how the whole story worked out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trouble with a Slayer

The incessant ring of the phone drags Audrey out of sleep, her body clock protesting that it's not yet ready to wake up.

“Detective, we’ve got a situation - a huge crowd of some kind of ... demons.”

She grabs her coat, her gun and her phone on the way out, using the last to call Nathan as she makes her way down the stairs to her car.

It’s early enough that it’s almost still late and her headlights sweep across empty streets. When she gets there the flashing blue lights tell her she’s in the right place, but at first she doesn't see much else in the dark. As she gets closer she realises that the whole street is packed with - yeah, demons. Almost human, but with distorted faces and foreheads, hairless and grey, small and quick, they are prowling around, sniffing the air, actually paying little attention to the growing crowd of police. They seem to be waiting, or … no - trying to work out where they are and what to do.

“Where did they come from?” asks Audrey of the first officer she reaches. “Who was first here?”

A different officer is pulled from the front of the line, “I drove down the road and it was quiet. When I looked in my rear view mirror, it was full of these … creatures. They came out of nowhere.”

There is an ambulance tending to two officers who seem to be badly mauled. “What happened?” asks Audrey, gesturing towards it.

“They got too close. They don’t seem that interested in us if we stay back, so we’ve been leaving them some space. Getting too close seems to be more ... fatal.”

Audrey nods, a grim look on her face, “Thanks.”

“Detective?” calls one of the officers from the other side of the street, “There’s something going on up there. Something else, I mean.”

From the other side of the road and standing on a bench, Audrey can see that not everyone further up the street is a demon and not everyone is confused and unsure of what to do. She sees three people cutting a swathe through the swarm of creatures.

There is a small blonde woman with an elegantly curved and very shiny axe, which she swings with precision, stabbing and decapitating demons with every stroke. She is flanked by two men in long leather coats, one dark-haired, the other with hair so blonde as to be almost white. It looks like there might be something strange about their faces as well, she can’t quite tell in the bad light. But they are taking out the demons at a fantastic rate; the three of them working together seamlessly, fluidly. Their backs to each other, they move up the street together, not a demon getting near them. Audrey watches for a moment, transfixed as the three figures cut off heads and drive what look like wooden stakes into the creatures hearts, fascinated by the resulting clouds of dust.

Then she realises that the creatures nearest her are getting more animated, starting to feel threatened and looking for a way out - getting ready to fight. They are effectively contained by the street and the fighters at the other end of it; the police here are the weakest point.

Audrey calls out across the assembled officers, “We have to keep them from leaving," she says, pointing up the road. "There are three fighters taking them out at the other end of the street. We just need to keep the creatures here.” She sees Nathan arriving and pulls him up on to the bench to show him what’s going on.

Between bullets (which only slow the creatures down), and cars to get in their way, they manage to contain the swarm as the three fighters work their way towards the line of officers. It takes a while, but eventually the blonde woman cuts the final creature’s head off and it sags into a pile of dust at her feet.

For a long moment, everyone is very still. The three fighters are looking about them, unsure it seems whether to regard police as friend or foe, unsure whether to put their weapons down and relax, or keep on fighting for their lives. Audrey steps forward to speak to them.

“I’m Detective Parker,” she begins, holding out her badge, then changes tack, putting it away, “Audrey. I … Thank you. That would have taken us a lot longer.”

 

The three of them stare back at her for a moment, apparently coming to the conclusion that she is not an immediate threat at least and their postures relax a little.

"I don't understand, what is this place?” says the woman, looking around her. “How did we get here? Where is everyone else?" She’s looking at her companions more than at Audrey, who turns to see Nathan joining them.

“Everyone else?” he asks looking worried, visions of fresh crowds of demons running through his head.

"The rest of my friends. I don't know what happened to Willow, or Giles, or any of them. Why are you even here?" she asks one of her companions. "I sent you back to LA. And you ..." turning to the other before the first can answer, "Didn't you die?”

"I died saving the world, didn't I? Right noble it was I reckon. Not like poncing off to LA outta the way," he added, with a glance at the darker guy who takes a step toward him, gripping the wooden stake tighter in his hand.

"Can we go back to the part where he died?" he says.

The woman steps between them, looking from one to the other, "I asked him to go, Spike, in case we failed. And yes Angel, he died, saving me and everyone else in the process, so can we please not do this macho I'm-more-worthy-than-you bullshit right now? Where are we even?"

"Been saving the world a lot longer than him," Angel mutters, but he steps back and puts the stake away.

"Enough!" she says to him. "We have to figure out where we are. This isn't LA and it certainly isn't Sunnydale."

"It's Haven," says Audrey, glad of the opportunity to get a word in. ”Haven, Maine.”

“Maine,” says the woman, wondering, “That’s a long way from California.”

“Sunnydale - that's where you're from? Is that in California too?” says Audrey.

“Not any more,” says the woman, shaking her head. “Long story. Sorry, I’m Buffy.”

"Sunnydale 's gone?" asks Angel, "The hellmouth?"

Buffy nods, "All gone. Only thing left is a crater. But Angel," she adds, her eyes lighting up, "That's not all - Willow pulled it off. She gave every potential slayer the full package."

"That's ... huge."

Nathan is losing the thread of the conversation and says to Audrey, "This has to be a Trouble."

“A what?” asks Angel.

“This isn’t a normal town,” says Audrey. Given that they’re obviously pretty familiar with demons or whatever those creatures were, she doesn’t see any point in beating around the bush. “People here can … sometimes things happen that don’t really fit any normal explanation.”

“Like magic?” asks Spike.

“Kind of,” replies Nathan, “I guess,” shrugging his shoulders at Audrey. “It’s as good an explanation as any, to be fair.”

“But we don’t usually get … demons, or whatever those were,” says Audrey.

“Vampires,” says Buffy. “Those were vampires. Although they shouldn’t have been any here, or anywhere, because we just dusted them all once already.”

Spike lifts his head and shares a look with Angel, as Angel nods and says, "Sunrise is coming."

"Can we move this somewhere that's indoors?" Buffy says to Audrey.

Audrey is surprised by the urgency of this exchange, but she was about to suggest they head back to the station anyway so it's easy to agree.

***

Audrey shows them all into her office as her cell phone rings and she steps back outside to take the call. Duke walks in behind her.

“It looks like a hurricane ran through town. What happened?" he asks Nathan.

"Part of an apocalypse," says Buffy.

"Part?" asks Duke, amused.

"Yes," says Buffy simply.

"What happened was a crowd of vampires. These three appeared here from California and it seems they brought them with them,” says Nathan.

"Not on purpose," points out Angel.

"We did dust them all for you," adds Spike.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Nathan asks Duke, a little wearily, not sure whether to expect another Trouble, or another crowd of vampires on the other side of town, or just the standard level of irritation usually associated with Duke. "It's still early, aren't you usually dead to the world at this hour?"

"I'm here because I saw a street full of smashed up police cars and I thought I’d see if everyone was OK, if that’s quite alright with you?"

“We wouldn’t be if it wasn’t for these three,” replies Audrey, walking back into the room. “We’d still be trying to figure out how to even slow those creatures down. Buffy, you were telling us where you came from?"

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer?" says Duke, laughing again.

"Heard of us then, have you?" says Spike, a little smug and sizing up the new arrival.

"I've heard of her. Not clear who you are," says Duke, folding his arms and returning the other man's stare.

"He's with me" says Buffy simply, as though this should put an end to it, but Spike and Duke are too busy trying to stare each other down to notice.

Spike is still in fight mode and Duke is thrown by these strangers that seem so at home so quickly. There is confidence and assurance streaming off them and it seems out of place in the setting of the early morning police station. Where they on their way home from a costume party or what?

"If this is a Trouble that turns people into their costumes, I can't tell if you were dressed up as Billy Idol or some kind of wannabe vampire from ..."

Spike snarls at him and takes a step forward, but Buffy is there first, holding them apart.

"Boys, please. Surely we're all on the same side? No one was in costume," she says, adding "Thank God," under her breath.

She pushes them away from each other and glares at them until they back down a little, Spike dismissing the whole thing with a jerk of the head as he walks to the other side of the room and flops down on the sofa. "We all want to figure out this trouble thingy. Which we do how, by the way?" says Buffy, effectively dismissing both of them as she addresses the question to Audrey.

"There's usually an emotional element that can be addressed, but first we need to figure out exactly what's happening."

Audrey turns to Duke, “You’ve heard of her?”

“I was joking; it's a TV show. The vampire slayer and her watcher; cheerleader forced to kill demons and all that,” he expects a laugh or rolled eyes from the three of them, but they’re looking far too serious for his liking. “It’s a TV show!” he says again.

“Maybe someone has a Trouble that brings fictional characters to life?” suggests Nathan.

"Oh, no" says Buffy, "I'm not falling for that again. No one is fictional here."

"I don't know,"says Spike, wondering, head at an angle as he looks across the office at Duke, Nathan and Audrey. "It might be something different this time. There ain't half something familiar about these three. What's that show, with the three cops and the crazy town?" He looks at Buffy and Angel and gets two blank looks in return, "Ah!" he says, frustrated, "Where's Xander when you need him?" which earns him raised eyebrows from both of them.

He gives up on them and turns to Audrey, "There's this TV show, right, with these three characters, the new-in-town workaholic FBI agent Audrey," as he points towards her. "Then there's the serious local detective, Nathan," gesturing towards him.

“We just told you our names," mumbles Nathan.

"And the other guy," says Spike ignoring him and pointing at Duke, then pauses while he tries to remember, clicks his fingers, "... Duke! Duke Crocker, right!? The slightly-outside-the-law, lives by his own rules, but has a good heart underneath it all guy. Right? It’s not us that’s off the telly, it’s you lot,” and he sits back, smug look on his face as though he’s answered everything.

"How do you know my name?" says Duke. He turns to Audrey, "How does he know my name?"

"Didn't we already tell him?"

Audrey shakes her head thoughtfully "No, Nathan, we didn't. And we certainly didn't mention me being with the FBI, or any of ... that other stuff. You saw that on TV?" she asks Spike.

"Parallel dimension " says Buffy firmly and with some relief. "Got to be, right?" as she looks to Angel for confirmation.

"Could be," he says.

"So ... then who's real?" asks Duke.

"We all are," replies Angel, "in our own dimension. We just need to get back to where we came from and leave you to yours."

 

“Detectives?” calls an officer sticking her head round the door. “I had a guy on the phone wanting to speak to the “Troubles Detective”. He says you might be interested to know where Buffy came from. That mean anything to you?”

She can see from the look Nathan and Audrey give each other that it does, so she carries on, “He hung up, said he had to get to work. I got the address though,” she adds, handing over a piece of paper.

“Thanks. OK,” says Audrey, turning back to the others. “Nathan and I will go and speak to this guy; this isn’t too far away. Are you three alright to wait here for a while?”

“Sure, I guess,” says Buffy.

“We’re not going anywhere,” says Spike, looking through the blinds at the bright sunlight outside.

***

“I heard about a woman killing a horde of demons with a shiny axe and it sounded a lot like the episode of Buffy I watched last night, so I thought I’d better give you a call. Don’t know how vampires and a Troubled town mix.”

“Not well without the Slayer there to help,” says Nathan.

“It’s always been pretty harmless, our Trouble” says Rick, with a shrug, “At least, as far as I’ve seen and from what my Grandad told me. The characters that turn up usually have something helpful to say to someone here in Haven. It’s often the Troubled person themselves or someone they know, but not always.”

“So how do you know who they’re here for?” asks Nathan.

“Well that’s easy - just whoever they’re talking to.”

“Right,” says Nathan, with a wary look at Audrey.

“And what makes them go away again?” she asks.

“After they’ve done what they came here to do and said everything they have to say, they usually just … go. Once the people they’re here to help have got the message they have to give them, they’re not needed any more and they just ... fade away. It’s usually been a positive thing, really,” he shrugs, recognising the unlikeliness of this.

“Right,” says Audrey, unsure where that leaves them.

“I’m sorry, I don’t think there’s anything I can do.”

“Well thanks for calling us.”

“If we have any more questions, we’ll let you know.”

***

“What are you still doing here, Duke?” asks Nathan as they walk back into the office. “Don’t you have a business to run?”

“I was just talking to our guests, thought they might like the company.”

“Well you can’t talk to Buffy, I need to speak to her,” says Audrey, surprising everyone a little, but the two women leave the room to the empty office opposite, Audrey closing the door as she recounts their conversation with Rick.

“So, it seems that the three of you have something to tell Haven; presumably me and Nathan and - I don’t know … Duke I guess? Any thoughts?”

Buffy absorbs this information for a moment, looking back through the glass to the group they left in the other office before turning back to Audrey.

"These guys - it seems like you know them both pretty well. Are you in a relationship?"

Audrey sighs, wanting to dismiss the topic, "It's complicated."

"But I think it might be relevant. So let me guess: you're in love with the quiet one - Nathan? You fight the good fight together and your heart belongs to him," she speaks slowly, choosing her words with care. "But the other guy - the cocky one. Duke? There's just something about the way he looks at you that makes you want to ...." She glances at her, sees she's on the right track. "And no matter what his ... reputation or what your friends might think, you know there is a good man in there, underneath it all."

Buffy stops, aware by the look on Audrey's face that she's pretty close to the truth.

"It feels pretty familiar and I can see it in the way they look at you," she says by way of explanation. "They know it too and it's right there in their eyes. I recognise it from Angel and Spike."

"Ah." says Audrey, understanding.

"And perhaps that’s why I'm here with those two instead of any of the people I was actually with last thing I remember before I appeared in Haven."

Audrey nods. "So you saw the good in someone when no one else did? Were you right - he's a good man?"

"He is. He saved us all."

"And the other guy - he's the one you're with?"

Buffy shakes her head. "That's more complicated again - we can't be together. But we're still connected - always will be."

"So, do you have any advice for me? It sounds like that's how this usually works."

Buffy considers this - what from her life as the Slayer would be relevant to this woman here in her Troubled Haven? "Is there something specific about you, something different that the others don't have?"

Audrey nods, slowly, "I'm immune to the Troubles." Buffy looks confused so she reaches for the first example that comes to her, "Nathan's trouble means he can't physically feel anything - but he can feel me."

Buffy's eyes go wide as she registers this, "Wow."

"Yeah, well not all his life - just while the Troubles are here. There's a cycle that ends with me ..." she struggles for the right words to explain it quickly "... effectively dying some time soon. The Troubles stop for 27 years until a new version of me with a different set of memories shows up and the whole thing starts again."

"I'm sorry," says Buffy, "that sucks." Then, half to herself and shaking her head, "One girl in all the world."

"Sorry?"

"Oh it's just ..." and she realises, "It's just what they always told me; 'One girl in all the world' to hold disaster at bay. That I could only save the people I loved by sacrificing myself; my life. I was lucky that I was strong, but the rules said I had to be the only one."

"That sucks" says Audrey, "What did you do?"

"We changed the rules."

"Really?"

"Well, I say 'we' - a powerful witch I happen to call a best friend changed the rules. Do you have witches here?"

"Not that I know of."

Buffy gazes out of the window for a moment, as if to check the truth of this.

"They tell you, you have to sacrifice. You have to fight, and die and it has to be done to save the world. And you wonder if you're strong enough; strong enough to do it, but also to do it right. And you wonder too if you're strong enough not to; could you watch the world fall apart just to save the people who love you the pain of seeing you go? But what if those aren't the only choices? What if there's a way you can do things differently? What if, you could change the rules?"

"But how?"

"Well I don't know. I don't know anything about this world. It might not even be possible, or not possible right now. But what I'm getting at is that some things and some times you have to sacrifice. But sometimes you don't. And if you see a way that maybe you don't; grab on to it with both hands and don't let go, because it will probably be the better solution for everyone in the long run anyway."

***

Duke looks through the glass and across the corridor to the two women talking. Nathan has taken a phone call and Duke spends a while watching what seems to be a pretty intense conversation.

“So,” he turns to Nathan when he hangs up, “Did you find the Troubled guy?”

“Yeah, he wasn’t terribly helpful. Said the characters that turn up usually have something to say to someone here.”

“So that’s why Audrey’s talking to Buffy?”

Nathan nods.

“Anyone care to explain these ‘Troubles’?” asks Spike. “Sounds political.”

“What? No - it’s just, something that happens to people. An ability, or a curse. They find themselves doing things to others they didn’t mean to and they usually can’t control it. Sometimes it’s little things, sometimes - it’s not.”

“Well that part I understand, but - it just happens to anyone? Randomly?”

“It runs in families,” says Duke simply, and something about the look on his face stops them asking any more.

“I have another case I need to go check up on,” says Nathan. “Duke maybe you should head home and leave these guys in peace.”

“Not such a good idea Nathan,” says Audrey walking back into the room. He looks a question at her and she carries on, “Rick said that the characters that turn up have something to say to people here before they can go. So, you need to talk to Angel, and Duke, you need to talk to Spike. We’ll leave you to it,” she says and moves towards the door, but sees that the four men are not convinced. “Just talk, guys, they won’t bite.”

“Be nice,” says Buffy pointedly to her companions and the two women leave the room. “There is perhaps something else I should tell you about them,” says Buffy as their voices fade.

***

The four men stand still for a moment, all unsure of themselves.

“Perhaps I should leave you to it after all,” says Duke and heads out the door before anyone can react. Spike follows right behind him though, leaving Angel and Nathan in his office.

“So,” begins Nathan.

Angel raises his eyebrows at him.

***

“Hang on mate,” Spike calls after Duke. “This might not be such a bad idea.”

Duke stops and lets Spike catch up to him in the corridor.

“It’s just - I see how it is, the way he talks to you. I know how that feels, to be one of the team but not quite; always on the edge looking in, being questioned because you didn’t do something the way they would have. You think if you do enough, that’ll go away.”

Duke turns to look at him then, acknowledging what he’s saying.

“Word of warning to you then - you have to do a lot. I mean, I died. It might never be enough, whatever you do, however you sacrifice. You just wanna make sure she’s worth it, is all I’m saying.”

"Well," says Duke after a while, "Was she? Would you do it again?"

"Oh yeah mate, in a heart beat.”

Duke nods.

Then Spike adds, "Being on the edge, you notice things. You see the shape of things others miss. You're holding them together, if you want my opinion on it."

***

Back in the office Nathan and Angel move haltingly on to full sentences, talking about their relationships with their respective ‘one girl in all the world’.

“There’s a lot of value in being the person who holds a hero together. Giving her someone to fall back on, someone to live for. I’m not sure I’ve really done that for Buffy, but maybe for you …”

Nathan nods, not convinced, then pauses in his pacing of the room to glance down the corridor. Spike and Duke are leaning against opposite walls, still glaring at each other, a little.

Angel follows his gaze and takes in the body language: Duke glaring across the corridor over arms crossed in front of his chest, Spike in a similar pose, leant back against the wall with a foot up against it as he studies the other man. The blonde vampire and the dark pirate, staring each other down as they bare their souls.

“Seems like those two are pretty similar,” says Angel. “I think they know it too; it’s making them jumpy.”

“Do you find him infuriating then, this Spike?” asks Nathan.

“That would be one word for it. Nearly staked him a few times over the years for one reason or another.”

“Do you think you ever will?”

“No. Not now since he went and got himself a soul - anyway Buffy would never forgive me.”

Nathan nods. This does all feel very familiar. He looks down the corridor again as Duke slides his back down the wall to sink to the floor. After a moment, Spike does the same. They seem to be done with the glaring competition.

Angel sees it too, watches the fight go out of them.

“You know, you might feel like it’s all about you and her, but it might be that he’s important too. It might be that you need to be there for him as well, whether you like it or not.”

Nathan nods, looking confused or concerned, Angel isn’t sure. “She’ll be the hero, but every hero needs people around her. It’s not just the hero that sacrifices; sometimes they inspire that in others and sometimes those others need support.”

Angel saw a question in Nathan’s eyes: Who supports you?

“We all take help where we can get it. Sometimes it comes from unexpected quarters; sometimes it doesn’t come at all. Look, you want me to sum up everything into one catchy piece of advice? There isn’t one really. But trust your instincts. You know what’s right; hold on to that and the rest will follow.”

***

A little while later with everyone talked out and gathered back in the office, Audrey is feeling less sure of the plan. She leaves Nathan with the others and heads down the road again to talk to Rick some more.

“I wish I could be more help, but all I can say is they must have something more to show you.”

“Right,” she says. “Thanks.”

She heads back to the station, thinking hard and calls Nathan on the way.

“We’ve been used to tackling a Trouble on the basis of the emotional state of the Troubled person themselves, but what if this one is different? What if it’s about the emotional state of the people it targeted?”

“You mean us?”

“Well, yeah. Rick seems to think so.”

Nathan sighs, “OK, fine. So what do we do?”

“I’m not sure … Perhaps we need to get everyone talking; spend more time together and see how we go - all six of us together I mean.”

“Maybe,” says Duke, looking over at the other four and sounding doubtful.

“I’m on my way back.”

“OK.”

Nathan hangs up and realises Duke is watching him, “Us? Us what?”

“This is a Trouble linked to the people it affects.” he says to Duke, then turns to the others, “It seems you have something more to tell us.”

Buffy, Angel and Spike look at each other, “I’ve got nothing,” says Angel.

“What sort of something?” Buffy asks Nathan.

“I don’t know,” he admits. “Audrey thinks we need to all hang out together.”

“Hang out?” echoes Angel, sounding at least as doubtful as Nathan.

“It’s a thing people do,” replies Spike, amused.

Duke shrugs and stands up, “I do own a bar.”

“I could go for that,” says Buffy. “We did just change the world,” she reminds Angel, by way of explanation. “Or, changed our world, anyway, and saved this one from a crowd of vampires they didn’t know how to deal with.”

Nathan realises he doesn’t have a better suggestion and picks up his phone, “I’ll let Audrey know to meet us there.”

***

Duke points them towards a table in the corner as he heads for the bar. It’s still early and the place is quiet. “Beverage suggestions?” he calls over his shoulder.

Spike is nearest and calls back, “Vodka. We’re celebrating,” he adds, then sees the dubious looks on the others’ faces, “Well I am. Not every day you get to die saving the world and then live to celebrate it.”

“We didn’t just save it though. We changed it. Or Willow did, anyway.”

“The little witch pulled it off,” says Spike. “Good for her.”

“Spike, this is huge,” says Angel. “It’s not just you and Faith any more?”

Buffy shakes her head, “Any girl that might have been, will be. It’s not just ‘one girl in all the world’ now.”

Nathan doesn’t exactly understand what they’re talking about, but he can hear the wonder in her voice.

“You really re-wrote the rules,” says Audrey, “That’s amazing.” She turns to Nathan, “Maybe that’s what this is all about. If they can change their rules about who has strength to fight demons, then maybe we can change the rules here about how the Troubles end.”

“Rules are made to be broken,” says Spike.

“That’s always been my theory,” agrees Duke, returning with a bottle and six glasses. He spreads the glasses round the table and picks up the bottle to open it. Spike grabs a glass and hold it out to be filled, but Angel says, “Not for me.”

Duke is pouring for the others and is surprised at this reluctance, but Spike catches his eye with a quick shake of the head. “Ain’t worth it mate,” he says firmly. “Top me up instead,” he suggests, holding his glass out again. Duke obliges and then heads back to the bar for a wider selection of drinks.

“What is it with that guy?” he asks Spike as he sits back down, “Does he know how to have fun at all?”

“It’s kind of an all or nothing situation with him, is the thing,” replies Spike. “And the ‘all’ tends not to be much fun for any people who might be around at the time,” and gives Duke a look which suggests he might want to change the subject.

“So Buffy,” says Duke. “You saved the world by levelling your home town?”

“Yeah, in a sense …”

“Why didn’t we think of that?” Duke says to Nathan.

“Because the only way that would actually achieve anything here is if it killed everyone. Which seems like an odd way to save them?” replies Nathan.

“Right,” agrees Duke.

“Pesky logic,” says Buffy, smiling at them.

“So what would you do with Haven?” Nathan asks her.

Buffy considers this, “It sounds like there’s some kind of magic going on,” she begins, and Nathan nods in agreement. “Which is really not my area,” she continues. “If Willow were here, maybe she would have an idea. Or Giles perhaps, but … I don’t know.”

“That would have to be some spell,” says Duke. “To wipe out everyone’s Trouble at a shot.”

“She’s a powerful witch,” says Buffy, but they still look dubious.

“Destroy the world kinda powerful,” offers Spike, but now they just look confused. “Almost,” he adds.

“Hey,” says Buffy. “That was a long time ago and she is much better now.”

“So this witch,” begins Nathan. “She changed your world - for the better? But nearly destroyed it as well?”

“She nearly destroyed it before,” Buffy corrects him.

“It’s the magics,” offers Angel. “You deal with stuff that powerful, there’s … a darker side to it that can take over; swallow you whole.”

“She fought through it, climbed her way back out and found the light on the other side,” says Buffy. “Sometimes people surprise you,” she adds, with a meaningful glance at Spike that everyone notices, but no one comments on.

“So how long have you been doing this?” asks Duke.

“Killing demons? Seven years, I guess,” says Buffy. “Visiting alternative dimensions where I’m a TV show is new.”

“And you three have been a team that whole time?” asks Audrey.

Angel laughs.

“Um, no - not exactly,” admits Spike.

“It was never just the three of us anyway,” says Buffy.

“Right,” says Audrey. “The witch?”

“And Giles, and Xander, and a lot of good people. I wouldn’t have made it this long without them.”

“I guess you’ve seen some scary stuff in those seven years?” asks Duke.

Buffy nods.

“What’s the biggest demon you faced?”

“Biggest in size? Got to be the mayor. Giant snake.”

“Your town elected a giant snake as mayor?”

“Oh, no - he was human when he took office. I think,” she shrugs. “We blew him up on graduation day,” she says and holds her glass out for more vodka.

 

The bar gradually gets busier around them, though the six of them don’t really notice. The crowd notices something about their conversation though, and leaves some space around them. But although no one is really listening, snippets of what they’re saying drift across the room every now and then. It’s perhaps a good thing that Duke’s customers weren’t paying attention; some of it would have been a bit hard to take, even for long-time residents of Haven.

 

“So the whole town blew up?” ... “Collapsed, really.”

“Wait, God?” ... “No. A god. A crazy god, who was human half the time.”

“Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?” ... “Yeah and sometimes even things that do.” ... “Well, we’ve all died,”

“Your sister’s not your sister?” ... “She is now, she just wasn’t always.”

“Good people do bad things.” ... “And the other way around.”

“Telepathy? Cool!” ... “That’s what I thought at first. Turns out? Not so much.”

“So you really can’t feel anything?” ... “How do you even shave?”

“A world without shrimp?”

“So … wait. People were actually singing, all over town? Dancing too! That sounds like a Trouble!”

“So you really have no reflection?” ... “How do you even shave?”

“Now that sounds like a spell - are you sure you don’t have witches here?”

“People actually swapped bodies? If you could control it, that could be a lot of fun. What? You don’t see how two consenting adults could have a lot of fun in each other’s bodies? You never wondered what it feels from the other side?”

“An ex-demon? How is that even possible?”

“That sounds like some high school.”

“So, you’re not really you?”

 

The six of them talk and laugh and commiserate; feel inspired and sad and lucky to be alive. The crowd thins around them until it’s late again and they start to feel all talked out.

“Anyone else feeling odd?” asks Buffy.

“How much did you drink?” wonders Duke.

“Not that much,” she responds.

“No she’s right, something’s happening, or changing, or ..” Spike looks around him, sounding confused.

“This world is fading,” says Angel. “I think we might be on our way back to where we came from.”

There is a silence as they all stare at each other, not sure whether to be relieved about this or upset. When they’d first got there, all Audrey had thought about was getting rid of them, but now, it seems a shame they have to go. But she can’t do anything about it either way, so she just says, “Thank you. It was nice to meet you all.”

Spike is less than amused, "We're going back to where we came from. So I'll go back to being dead."

"I don't think there’s anything we can do."

"No I get it. I do, it’s just ... it just won't be so dramatic this time, will it?"

As the three of them really start to fade from sight, Buffy grabs Spike for a passionate kiss and the rest of them just have time to see Angel roll his eyes at the two of them before they all disappear.

 

THE END


End file.
